integrated central processor that also includes motor
drivers. The Eddie kit — fully assembled with extra-cost
laptop and Kinect — is shown in Figure 13.

Eddie is intended to be used with a laptop running
Windows 7 and RDS, making it compatible with the
Microsoft Kinect 3D motion sensing device. Services
running in RDS allow you to use a Kinect and your robot for
mapping, motion planning, obstacle avoidance, even
human control interfacing.

(Take note: You need Windows 7 if you plan on using
a Kinect. If the Kinect isn’t critical for your application, you
can fall back to an earlier version of RDS which can run on
Windows Vista or even XP.)

Eddie also varies from the MadeUSA in that a second
round deck is included, along with support columns for
both the second deck and the Kinect hardware. Rather than
using 10 Ping))) ultrasonic sensors, Eddie is happy with just
two Pings))) plus three Sharp infrared proximity detectors.
The ultrasonic and IR sensors are designed to augment
Kinect’s vision, as they’re more adept at spotting small lowlying obstacles directly in front of the robot.

At $849 for the MadeUSA and $1,249 for Eddie, these
robots are for the more serious tinkerer. Thanks to their
hefty construction and ample mounting space, these are
bots you can rely on for many years. Future plans for my
MadeUSA include a five degree-of-freedom arm on the
back, a homing beacon for automatic recharging, and an
optical line follower — football field size!

FIGURE 13. The
Parallax Eddie
platform, designed
to complement the
Microsoft Robotics
Developer Studio
platform. The
laptop and Kinect
are extra-cost
options, but the
Eddie kit includes
most everything
else, including a
special central
controller.

Some day I’ll even build that robotic golf cart for my
dog. SV

Gordon may be reached at rbb@robotoid.com.

Meet Eddie.

Expandable Development Discs for Innovation and Experimentation
Eddie is a new type of robot from Parallax Inc. designed to foster creativity,
innovation and experimentation. Compatible with Microsoft’s Robotics
Developer Studio, Eddie can roam autonomously, see in 3D using the Microsoft
Kinect™ sensor, and be driven remotely using a wireless controller.

The included control board uses the 8-core Propeller microcontroller to directly
control two 12 V motors and collect data from several sensors around the robot.